Wednesday, December 04, 2013

GCCI to Launch Comprehensive Anti-Discrimination Workplace Policy

Press
Release from the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry

November
15, 2013

(Georgetown,
Guyana) The Georgetown
Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) is partnering with the
Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) to develop
and launch a comprehensive anti-discrimination workplace policy which
includes sexual orientation and gender identity as prohibited
grounds. GCCI President, Mr. Clinton Urling, made this announcement
in his opening remarks at a seminar, on “Business and Human Rights:
Tackling Workplace Discrimination” on Wednesday, November 13, 2013,
at Hotel Pegasus Guyana, hosted by GCCI in collaboration with SASOD.

The
seminar which targeted sector-leading commercial entities who are
members of the GCCI and its allied agencies, sought to sensitize
managers and business owners on issues relating to stigma,
discrimination and human rights violations based on sexual
orientation and gender identity in the workplace, with the view of
enhancing their understanding of the issues by discussing how they
can contribute to promoting equality in the workplace, and nationwide
in Guyana. Moreover, the seminar discussed the business case for
respecting human rights, demonstrating how work environments which
include and respect sexual and gender diversity enhance business
efficiency and foster good psycho-social health of their employees;
all of which increases their productivity.

Some of the participants at the GCCI/SASOD seminar at the Hotel Pegasus Guyana.

In
his opening remarks, Mr. Urling first lauded SASOD for their stellar
advocacy work over the past ten years which has “certainly
informed our citizenry, changed perceptions and attitudes of bigotry
and intolerance and have resulted in actions to end discrimination
based on sexual orientation and gender identity by policy-makers and
other stakeholders.” He
further stated that now it is the private sector’s turn to get
involved, as such he urged his colleagues to grasp as much as
possible from the seminar and to return to their various entities and
start their own internal discussions on developing, or in some cases,
strengthening company policies, to eliminate all forms of
discrimination, including sexual orientation and gender identity. Mr.
Urling also remarked on how urgent it is for our own policy-makers in
Guyana to advance legislation that would end workers discrimination
and ensure that employers cannot fire or refuse to hire someone based
on his or her sexual orientation or gender identity. “It
will not be an easy battle but one in which we have to advance to
ensure that the fundamental human rights of all Guyanese are
protected. In all these situations it took adaptive changes to effect
this. The citizens and people were part of the problem and changing
their attitudes and beliefs were key to enacting the necessary
legislation. That is the important role of SASOD and what this
seminar seeks to do,” Mr.
Urling added.

GCCI President, Mr. Clinton Urling, makes opening remarks.

The presenters at the seminar
were Zenita Nicholson, SASOD Secretary, who focused on the business
efficacy for respecting human rights in the workplace; and Joel
Simpson, SASOD Co-Chair, who deliberated on the current legal
framework as it relates to human rights and workplace equality in
Guyana. Facilitated by communications specialist and business
executive, Ms. Catherine Hughes, M.P., the seminar discussed key
issues, including the importance of workplace polices that include
protection from discrimination for lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) employees, how managers deal with homophobic and
transphobic discrimination in the workplace; and externally, how
businesses treat their LGBT customers and clients. In closing the
plenary discussions, Ms. Hughes, M.P., urged the participants to
utilize the resources from the seminar to advance workplace equality
in their entities.

Another
moving segment of the seminar was the first screening of “Sade’
Story,” a new video produced by SASOD in which Guyanese transgender
fashion designer, Sade Richardson, candidly shares how her right to
work and other basic rights are inhibited by the everyday transphobic
discrimination she faces.

After
the video screening, Ms. Hughes, M.P., reminded participants that
SASOD – in its mission to promote equality and justice for all
Guyanese and eliminate discrimination based on sexuality, gender,
sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression in Guyana –
stands ready and willing to support organisations to develop
comprehensive anti-discrimination policies and promote workplace
equality.

GCCI
Executive Director, Ms. Marissa Lowden, closed the seminar, thanking
the participants, the organizing team and the donors who made the
event possible. The seminar was supported by the Delegation of the
European Union to Guyana, through the European Instrument for
Democracy and Human Rights, Equal Rights Trust and the Astraea
Lesbian Foundation for Justice.

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About SASOD

The Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) is a human rights organisation and movement dedicated to achieving equality and justice for all Guyanese, especially those suffering discrimination based on their sexuality, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. We support similar work in Latin America and the Caribbean, Americas, Commonwealth, Global South and worldwide.